THE Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced simplified tax return forms for salaried individuals and small retailers having annual turnover up to Rs.10 million could avail this facility. According to Member of the Board Nadeem Rizvi the simplified one-page form for salaried individuals was the maximum effort for achieving simplification that should be appreciated by everyone.
The FBR took time in introducing the simplified tax return form and this would also mean an extension in submission of returns as the last date of September 30 is fast approaching. However, the outcome of the exercise is, indeed, laudable and hopefully it would lead to an increase in the number of filers, which is not encouraging at the moment. Tax of salaried individuals is regularly deducted from their salaries by employers and deposited in the relevant head and therefore, there was every justification to have a simplified form for them. The real problem is how to induce traders and businessmen to file returns and become tax-payers. Successive governments including the incumbent one have tried their best to document the economy and make business community to pay its due taxes but the goal remains a far off cry. PTI government showed muscles initially and stuck to its principled viewpoint but had to succumb before the pressure of influential community in the backdrop of fragile political environment. Scapegoating FBR for lack of required progress in tax collection is no solution as it required political will on the part of the Government to move firmly against tax evaders.
